The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-12-03
A STEERAGE TRIP.
INTERESTING EXPERIENCE OF A
PASSENGER WHO TRIED 1T.

Rough Wcathcr-.in Aggregation ot
Od"rs-A Bed on Dcck-IIow Meals
We're Served
The bertlls i'll the steeragc are not reserved;
they are free. and the custom of leaving the
baggage in them, dcnoting tha, they are
taken, is not regarded. The ,lSurpcr roolv
throws out the first occupant, bedding. tins
and baggage, not caring ii they are injured
or not, then falls asleep and does not awaken
until its first poSscssor finds another place.
Some one quietly appropriated mine and had
thrown my tins in an adjoining bunk. All
were found except that Indispensable article,
my bright iron spoon, which was either lost
or taken to complete some one clsc's outfit.
The stewards arc good fellows and will give
extra Accommodations for dollar or two
They will wash the tins for tho small sum of
81, and will place i'll Your berth free of
charge.
One OF tho difficulties Of Il Storage passci-
ger is to dress and unlress The usual way
is to hang the pants on the end of the hcrth
jump into them and quickly grasp hold of
the planks to keep from being thrown against
the sides of the boat when it makes; Il lurch
Another way is to knccl, but many q heal
was bumped against the iron beams when HE
person arose to fix his srspenders. Nearly all.
however, went to bed without undressing
Tho women have separate apartments in
the same part of the boat, and all become az
quainted i'll short time. They were carving
on busy conversations, and the different Ian
guages poured out in a torrent, which never
ceased except when tho boat gave Il lurch,
and then only for Il moment. Dirtv faccd
children, with their cries and screams added
to tho melody of sounds l q,arrclcd with
myself for going stecra%e, hut it was too late.
With sigh of regret went on deck. The
water was calm and beautiful: pleasant
breeze was blowing and tho ride was cniov-
able
Toward night the water became roughrr
and the boat began to rock Many began tu
experience n dizzy and unpleasant feeling.
which constantly grew worse. In short
time the gentle laughter and swoc: songs had
suddenly changed. looked around There
was scarcely n woman on deck, and tho men
had well nigh deserted it, Lemons and
oranges We're i'll demand. The bar was prof
itably latronzcd. Tho corntcnancc, which
n few hours before We're bright and happy
were now pale and troubled. paced the
deck, as did many others in the bracing air.
with the hope of driving away the miserable
feeling. 1t was in vain had to give up.
All had stopped walking and had taken their
positions at the railing and wero gazing earn
cstly at tho water. They may lave been
looking ut the phospllorcscent light. hut |
loubt it. We were made worse bv the COM
nincd olors of carbolic ucid, chlnra1r of limo
(Which was thrown around prof,iscly), new
paint, tar and grease, and other things known
to those who travel on ships. These smells
made mo deathly sick, made me hate tho
boat, everybody and everything on it,
1t is tho sailors duty to sweep tho decks,
but they ought to have extra pay, and il
should he collected from tho steerugc passcn-
gers. The men We're immoderatc smokers.
and the scent of bad tobacco was another. dis
agreeable otlor mixed with those that were
already rendering my stomach weak. A
Polish dew carried the largest and lilthicst
pipe, and many times during the day and
night this big bowl of intolcrablr scents could
be seen hanging from his mouth The sick
persons slept on deck all night trcadui. TO
90 i'll the Storage on account of the horrible
smell which p"rvaded it. Tho sniioIs worried
the whole night managing tho sails and wash
ing tho decks, and often the slcepcr., were
aroused by tho scrubbers' hose The bnre
deck was the principal bed; mine was a coil
of rope, and, notwithstanding the noise, fell
into a refreshing sleep.
The scasick people would come To tho tables
and try to cat, but Us soon as any greasy food
was taken the party sought the railing of the
boat or the cutters i'll the stccragc Finally
they took to their bertlis, and wien the stew
ards camc at meal times To give each his poi-
tion, they, like some Rip Van Winklc with
shaggy heard and unkemrt hair, pokcd their
heads from their berths and showed their
plates and basins ut the steward to he filled
up. There they sat and ate If tho food had
the wrong effect, they stretched their head,
over the berth and looked at the door. Some
alto and washed in the same basin, for it was
too much trouble To carry II wllol. dinner set
Tho steward every morning swept out the
stecrasc, though the agents of the steamship
lines say they are washed out and slrinklel
the floor with sawdust, chloride of lime, cur.
bolic acid, etc.
In three days the stce,agc passengers were
hll well, and when the dining bell r,nlg every
one rushed to the tables The steward dealt
out from large buckets each mans share, and
to the credit Of the stcerage they behaved
very well, though table etiquette seemed ont
"i place. 1t is different coming ia America
the class of people is so unlike Sometimes
-four or five are in straight jackets at once
The food was in good condition and well
cooked, and every ono got plenty. We were
given for breakfast coffee, tea bread, oat-
meal and butter; for dinner, vegetable soup,
boiled beef, potatoes, rico and stcwc,l apples
Sometimes this would be changed. and on
Sunday cherry pudding would he given for
dessert; for supper the same as for breakfast
Who cannot live on this for seven DAYS.
Sff,
the boat tllan he does in his own home For.
merly the s,ccra@c passenger was given lis
days allowance, but he had to cook it and
this is probably the reason why many blin:,
canned food with them, thinking they llavo
to do their own cooking Now, by getting
On the good side Of the cooks and having
them -, they may get almost cabin fare.
After eating all 80 OH deck to wash their
tins. The rest of the day would bc spcn, in
lounsing around, sleeping on deck. playing
cards and telling yarns. At night ,h'.sr VINO
had any music i'll them would sing i, f,w
songs. They would lr accompanied hv a
broken windrd accordion ar l'y II molanrlo!v
flute. The most respectable woul JOIN in Tie
songs and sports of thc sailors and cabin
boys; and many an evening was pleasantly
spent i'll this way. Some of them. rather
than he idle, would help TO do the work, and
when the sails were put out many ,,s could
pulled on the ropes.
The stccrag" Passengers get over s.;, sick
nrss sooner than the cabin passengers who
hav" S" much rich"r food. Some Of ,hr cabin
passengers were sick the entire tri,, !,it
would com. on deck the day before i;,,.lDg,
perhaps afraid of being quarantincl
To cross the ocean for health il il. in INV
opinion Il mistake for II young man - 20
cabin. Bc"allse the cabin is 50 tinrly fur
nishc1 that when he gets sirl, h. viii 90
10 his berth, and, having some on" 10 val, on
him, Ii" will very likely stay there during the
Who'll" voyage; whereas. the st'1ra." beng
not - ''"mtortahlr and the eelurs not 81
pleasant. i" will hc forrc,! N d,cll The place
where he ought to bc.--''.l l.. S. in Kansas
City Journal.
European Study of Food.
Very few people Oh tl!i, side Of the .it!an.
tic have any idea OF hpw much is being done
in Europcin the study OF the food and nuir-
ton of man. In the uboratolic, o: the great
universities, especially i'll Germany, cxIeIi
mental researches nrc being carried on Win Ii
u ro ,,f ti,n ,,,r-. in